If phone storage devices can be made so small, why are we still using 2280 sized SSDs for computers?
In: Technology
Phone storage and computer storage are not equal.
A lot of people want computer storage to read and write extremely fast. The same read and write speeds just don’t exist on phone storage. The extra performance means extra cooling, which is handled for many SSDs by just having a physically larger surface, although some even go so far as to put a heatsink on.
In addition, computer SSD’s are an interchangeable part, while phone storage is built directly into the board on the phone. There is extra physical space used to make the connectors in a PC implementation.
Making things small isn’t easy. It’s expensive. It’s so much cheaper, easier, and more effective to make a big thing which does the same job WHEN you have the space to.
Look at the actual size of the memory chip. An m.2 has the adapter to plug it into the mobo. A phone already has the ssd chip attached directly.
I assume you’re mostly referring to SATA SSDs in which case they are actually nowadays almost as small as M2 drives if you actually crack open the case Most of it is empty space. They just typically keep that form factor as that’s basically like standard hard drive size and makes it easier for manufacturing / PC building
Smaller means more expensive and slower. If you have the space, better to use it to allow better heat dissipation so it can run faster.
Here’s the neat thing, you don’t need something as big as an SSD to run a computer. It’s not hard to find a PC small enough to fit in your pocket, and you could run a computer off a micro SD. SSDs are just a common format of storage used.
Speed
Also 2.5 inches SSD is a standard size so despite the chips itself being really small, manufacturers still keep the casing the same size for the sake of compatibility.
The entire point of the phone is to connect to something else. Computers have to be able to operate independently. The phone can just store most of its stuff elsewhere.
The PC case has more room than a phone and the slots are standardized which is one of the things that makes backwards compatibility possible. You can install an SSD in a computer from decades ago and it will work. The storage solution for your phone is more or less customized for your specific model and it wouldn’t be useful for anything else
High quality 4TB 2280 SSDs can be found between $200 and $300. The iPhone 15 Pro Max charges $400 to upgrade from 256GB to 1TB, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra charges $360.
Also, 2280 SSDs are about 4x as fast as phone SSDs.
So, the greater physical size comes at a benefit of lower cost, greater speed, and greater capacity.
But, if you’re concerned about physical size, you can go down to a 2230 SSD. That’s 22mm by 30mm. This is the size used by the Steam Deck. Even a nice 2230 drive like the WD_BLACK SN770M is still only $100 for 1TB, and more than twice as fast as a 1TB phone.
Latest Answers